Category Archives: Work/Life

Every so often, a person has a life changing experience. For me, this has been bullet journaling. If I could afford to quit my job and travel around the country to teach people about this system, I would—in a heartbeat. Bullet journaling is a paper/pencil system developed by Ryder Carroll, an Art Director and Interaction Designer living in Brooklyn, New York. In his YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/user/bulletjournal), he describes bullet journaling as “an analog system that … Read the rest

Many people want to feel that their work has meaning and value. However, research mentioned in this article shows that less than 50% of people see their work as a calling. The author of this article suggests that work can be meaningful even if you don’t think of it as a calling. The key is to become more conscious about the service you’re providing. The author says that “If we reframe our tasks as opportunities to help others, any occupation … Read the rest

Are there things you would really like to do but just don’t seem to have the time to even think about, much less begin? Perhaps you’d like to start a new leisure activity, or take a self-enrichment class, or start a new business. The author of this article invites you to consider a persistent challenge you face – one that you’d be willing to make a major life change for, in order to resolve it once and for all. Then … Read the rest

When you are traveling, it can be easy to skip your good habits and just decide to do better when you return home. However, even when you are relaxing some of your regular healthy habits, there are some things you want to be sure to continue (or even increase) when you are traveling – especially if it’s hot out. Here are just a few things to keep in mind.

Drink Plenty of WaterWhen you’re traveling and out of your … Read the rest

The ALA-APA Wellness website states that “wellness is an active and life-long process, involving positive decision-making and finding balance between many priorities. It is tied to awareness and to making choices that lead to being happier, healthier, and more fulfilled. Individual and community well-being are inherently connected, so it is vitally important that workplaces be places of wellness for their employees.” During the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago (June 22-27, 2017), conference attendees will find several opportunities to learn about … Read the rest

While compassion and empathy for physical illness are often plentiful, many times this is not the case when people are dealing with mental health concerns. Unfortunately, there is still so much stigma which accompanies mental illness. People don’t know what to say to those who may be struggling with mental illness. Some people often don’t know what to do for fear of making someone feel worse. The author of this article suggests that every workplace needs a Mental Health … Read the rest

No matter what your current position or future goals for advancement may be, there’s one thing that will impact your career even more than competence or expertise – the way you treat others. The author of this article says that kind behavior recognizes others’ dignity and value in a very tangible way. We naturally work harder for and with those who treat us with respect, which can make individuals as well as teams (and ultimately the library or organization) more … Read the rest

When you compile your daily to do list, what do you put at the top? For many people the most important priority may not even be on their list. The author of this article says the most important priority needs to be you! Many of us have no problem finding time to take care of others. However, if we don’t take care of ourselves, at some point we could find that we are no longer effective at much of … Read the rest

Are you a generally optimistic person? Do you try to find the good in most situations? If you responded yes to these questions, then you may find yourself in better health than those who said no. This article cites several studies which suggest that having a positive outlook may improve your health and could actually extend your life. It can be particularly beneficial for those who may be facing serious health challenges. If you’re not one of those people who … Read the rest

It should not take a near-death or real death experience (as in the case of this article’s author) for us to pay attention to the people and things that matter most to us. However, it usually takes some catastrophic event to make us slow down and appreciate life. Often, we don’t stop to “smell the roses” until we are forced to do so. The author of this article shares the invaluable lessons he learned because of an incident where he … Read the rest